Debt
by tsunderelly
Summary: Sougo saves Kagura's life, hilarity ensues. What will happen next?
1. Yamcha Isn't So Bad After All

"Gin-chan! Sadaharu's hungry again! Any more of this treatment and it'll be considered animal abuse!" Kagura yelled as she rummaged through the many cabinets of the Yorozuya household.

Sadaharu whined impatiently as he tried to sedate his hunger by snacking on a tiny stick of sukonbu.

"Quiet down, the only animal around here is you." Gintoki replied nonchalantly, flipping through the latest edition of Jump. He was sprawled haphazardly across the couch, his pinky shoved up his nose like usual. "Sadaharu, don't eat that sukonbu garbage, you'll become sick in the head like her."

"Gin-san, we have a client coming in soon, can't you make yourself more presentable?" Shinpachi walked into the room, a stern expression plastered upon his face. "And please keep the noise dow- KAGURA-CHAN! What do you think you're doing?!" Shinpachi exclaimed upon witnessing the mess accumulating in the living room.

"That wavy-haired bastard won't fork over any cash to buy food!" Kagura stomped her foot, which resulted in a rather noticeable dent in the wooden floor.

"We don't have any cash to begin with; we have your monster appetite to blame for that!" Gintoki replied, groaning as he lifted himself off the couch.

"Kagura-chan, why don't you go down to the river and catch some fish? " Shinpachi suggested, already tidying up the living room area. _'It'd also get her out of the house before the client comes - the last thing we need is trouble….'_

"Fish?" Kagura repeated, pondering the suggestion for a few seconds. "Wow, Shinpachi! Who knew you actually had some good ideas in that head of yours?" She said with no ill intentions.

"Hey… what's that supposed to mean?" Shinpachi replied, an unimpressed look on his face.

Ignoring Shinpachi's obvious annoyance, Kagura grabbed her purple umbrella and headed towards the door. "Sadaharu, be a good boy and stay here, okay? I'll bring home lots of fish for you!"

It was only a matter of minutes before she arrived at the riverbank. She rolled up her pants, slipped out of her black shoes and waded into the water with her umbrella held high over her head. With her lightning fast reflexes, it was easy to snatch fish right out of the water, even with one hand. It didn't take long before a certain somebody stepped onto the scene.

"Oi, China."

That deadpan voice was one she had grown to deeply despise.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Show me your fishing permit or I'll arrest you here and now." The Shinsengumi Captain said from the top of the riverbank. Okita Sougo looked bored as ever. His red eye mask hung around his neck, which indicated that he had already taken his afternoon nap.

"Shut up, Sadist." Kagura replied, clearly having no respect for the law. "Why don't you go do your job properly instead of robbing everyone's taxes?" She spat, a sneer engraved on her face.

"I am doing my job properly, China. You need a permit to fish in this river or else this-" Sougo paused to point at the huge pile of fish on the river bank that she had collected. "Happens. Now, be a good little China-girl and come out of the river before I have to drag you out myself."

"HAHA! I'd like to see you try! You're Yamcha and I'm Goku, there's no way you can compare yourself to me! " Kagura shouted after unleashing a series of unladylike snorts.

"Stop making references that nobody will understand, China. Or should I call you Miss Piggy? Do you like that name? Miss Piggy? Perfect name for a monstrous glutton like yourself." Sougo began to make his way down the riverbank, his hand resting on the handle of his sword. Interactions with China always ended up in violence, blood, and broken bones.

"Bwahahaha! Come and get me, you stupid Sadist! " Kagura taunted, dancing around in the water. At that moment, she failed to realize just how slippery the rocks were beneath her feet. Her purple umbrella flew out of her hands before the river current swept her underneath the water.

A laugh threatened to escape from the back of Sougo's throat. She got exactly what she deserved. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, waiting to see when she would resurface. He could see a faint blur of red and orange beneath the water - she was probably just messing with him. Thirty long seconds passed.

"You can't be serious…." Sougo grumbled as he removed his Shinsengumi jacket and sword. "Hey, China! Stop playing dead already!" He jogged along the river, unable to deny the fact that his heart was now racing. When there was no reply, he dove straight into the water, determined to make the Yorozuya pay him back for all his troubles. He was a rather proficient swimmer, but with the river's current and China's weight (she ate nearly twenty times more than he did), it was not an easy task bringing her back to the shore.

"O-Oi, China," Sougo panted heavily once he had managed to haul her onto land. "Wake up already, idiot." He slapped the side of her face lightly. No response. He placed his ear against her chest, noticed the lack of breathing and immediately realized the severity of the situation. '_Luckily, she won't be conscious to witness this…' _He thought, also silently cursing the girl for putting him in this bizarre situation.

Sougo tilted her chin up, pinched her nose and closed his mouth over hers. He had never performed CPR before, so the only first-aid knowledge he had was from his early days working at the Shinsengumi. Shortly after, his face was greeted by a wave of water mixed with little pieces of sukonbu. With a grunt of disgust, he wiped the side of his mouth, watching as Kagura began to hack and cough up the water she had swallowed.

Kagura's chest heaved up and down as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. "Y-You! W-What did you do to me?!" She wheezed.

"You almost drowned because of your own stupidity. I saved your life. So therefore, you're in debt to me." Sougo replied, grimacing as he glanced down at his wet clothes. "You can start by getting me some dry clothes."

"S-Screw that! You were p-probably playing around with my unconscious body, you pervert! I'm reporting you to the authorities!" She screeched at the top of her lungs.

"You're reporting me to myself? How smart."

"Shut the hell up! Where's my umbrella?!" Kagura suddenly changed the subject as she felt the intensity of the afternoon sun beat down on her pale skin.

"I don't know, it's probably somewhere downstream by now." Sougo got to his feet and attempted to wring out the excess water from his sopping wet hair. He noticed her frantic panicking and rolled his eyes. "It'll turn up sooner or later, China. Why does it even matter?"

"The sun, it h-hurts," Kagura whispered, trying to block the sun with her arms.

It was probably the Sadist in him that had reacted to her vulnerable, submissive response. Women were such a pain in the ass. He walked over to retrieve his dry jacket and threw it on top of her head. "Stop complaining now or I'll stick my sword up your butt and make a China-kabob." He stated as he placed his sword back at his side.

Kagura refused to thank him. She glanced down at the ground, holding the edge of his jacket over her head. "I-I'm going home!"

"How? You can barely stand on your feet." Sougo pointed out her unsteady stance.

Kagura's face reddened. She was already embarrassed by the fact that she had to be resuscitated by him, and he had even lent her his jacket! "I'll find a way, idiot." She replied, stubborn as ever.

"Suck up your pride, China. I'll walk you home, but don't get me wrong, I just want danna to see how much trouble you put me through today. I'll be sure to send the Yorozuya my dry cleaning bill." Sougo muttered as he grabbed her arm and slung it around the back of his neck. He was expecting some retaliation or protest, but was surprised when he was met with no resistance. Sougo didn't blame her – the stupid girl nearly drowned just a few minutes ago.

How the hell did this happen? One second they were both poking fun at each other, and the next, he was helping her walk home. Sougo wrapped a strong arm tightly around her waist, allowing her to lean against him.

"I'm n-not going to thank you, you stupid Sadist." Kagura mumbled angrily, the blush on her face rivaling the red of her outfit.

"Stop being such a tsundere, it's not attractive when you do it. It's an insult to Kugimiya Rie."

"Who?"

"Nothing, nevermind."

Once he had arrived at the Yorozuya household, he knocked on the door. "Oi, danna! Open up, I brought home your alien pet." He was greeted by the Yamazaki of the Yorozuya group instead of the wavy-haired perm.

"Kagura-chan?! You're both soaking wet, what on Earth happened?!" Shinpachi reached out to take Kagura from Sougo's arms.

"She almost drowned, but I saved her life." Sougo replied calmly. "She had this idiotic idea of fishing down at the river without a permit."

Shinpachi remained silent. He didn't want Sougo to know that it was originally his idea. "A-Anyways, Okita-san," He said as he adjusted his glasses. "Thank you for saving our Kagura-chan."

"I expect compensation." Sougo replied emotionlessly as he turned to leave. "And remind the China girl she owes me her life now."

* * *

**Author's Note: **

My very first OkiKagu fanfic! There is definitely going to be more to come, but it depends on how well the rest of the story flows. (｡･｀ω´･｡)

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	2. Never Trust Sadists

"HEALTH, HEALTH ME!"

"Oi, Kagura! What's wrong?!"

"HERPES, HERPES ME!"

"For the hundredth time, it's 'help me'!" Gintoki hit her roughly on the head once he had opened the closet door, which also served as her tiny bedroom. He scratched the back of his head impatiently. "Geez, I thought you had gotten yourself into another accident."

Through teary eyes, Kagura stared up at Gintoki and Shinpachi from her bed. "Sorry Gin-chan, Shinpachi! I had a nightmare that I almost drowned and a stupid Sadist from the Shinsengumi had to come save me."

"That wasn't a dream. That just happened yesterday." Gintoki reminded her. "Souichirou-kun sent out a few Shinsengumi officers to the river and they managed to find your umbrella. They brought it back last night."

"Wow! Who's Souichirou? I must thank him!"

"He's talking about Okita-san." Shinpachi translated.

"Who's Okita?"

"Okita Sougo."

"Who's that?"

"Kagura-chan, are you being serious right now?" Shinpachi sighed exasperatedly. "He's the one you call 'Sadist' all the time.

"Oh. That good-for-nothing loser." Kagura replied with a disgusted grimace on her face.

"You should thank him, he saved your life after all." Shinpachi pointed out. "His jacket is still here, so I'm going to return it after lunch."

"W-wait! I can return it!"

"Hmm, why the sudden change of heart, Kagura?" Gintoki asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Anego says that showing compassion and kindness to filthy gorillas beneath you is a step to becoming a better person." Kagura replied innocently.

"Kagura-chan, it's best not to listen to my sister's twisted advice." Shinpachi said as he adjusted his glasses. "Just be careful, alright? No more reckless behavior."

"You got it, glasses!"

"Who are you calling glasses?!"

"You guys even bought Sadaharu some food. How unexpected!" Kagura ignored Shinpachi as she spotted Sadaharu's overflowing food bowl.

"The client yesterday decided to hire us, so we used some of the deposit money to feed your monster pet." Gintoki said. "It's coming out of your paycheck."

"Wow, thanks Gin-chan!" Kagura smiled. '_Although I've never received a paycheck before…_' She silently thought. She spotted her purple umbrella on the couch, along with a neatly folded Shinsengumi jacket next to it. She felt a strong urge to spit on the jacket, but quickly refrained from doing so. The stupid Sadist had actually helped her get her umbrella back – it seemed a bit strange, and Kagura already suspected that he was planning some sort of diabolic scheme back at the Shinsengumi headquarters. There was only one way to find out.


	3. Love Has Many Forms

A thick, impenetrable cover of clouds drifted lazily across the morning sky, allowing Kagura to walk freely without her umbrella. She was greeted with friendly, yet uneasy smiles once she reached the Shinsengumi's headquarters – she was well known amongst them, mainly as the insanely strong alien girl from the Yorozuya.

"So, what brings you to the Shinsengumi today?" Kondo Isao questioned her anxiously after inviting her into his barracks.

"I need to give the Sadist his smelly jacket back. That idiot forgot to take it back with him. See how much trouble he causes me? You should give him a demotion, Gorilla. He doesn't know how to do his job."

"I apologize, but I'm afraid I can't do that." Kondo rubbed his hands together nervously. He was always walking on eggshells whenever he was speaking to someone from the Yorozuya. They were all close to Otae-san, which meant he had to be on exceptionally good terms with them. "And unfortunately, Sougo is feeling a bit under the weather today so he's resting right now. For some reason, he came back yesterday in wet clothes and caught a cold."

"Hah! He's probably just slacking off like he always does." Kagura muttered, although she did feel a slight pang of guilt. "I'll find him myself." She announced, shooting Kondo a deadly glare that said : '_if you dare try to stop me, I'll tear out your ass hairs one by one!' _She was pleased when he responded with a weak nod.

Kagura inspected each of the rooms in the Shinsengumi barracks. It wasn't long before she came across the stupid Sadist's room, and it seemed that the Gorilla was telling the truth. The Sadist wasn't even wearing his uniform. He was clad in his training clothes, or at least that's what it seemed like. She couldn't see underneath the sheets of his futon.

She tip-toed into his room, taking a brief moment to inspect the interior. Strangely enough, there were no visible whips, chains, or leashes. The Sadist kept his room neat and tidy, which was also unexpected. Kagura placed his jacket on top of his dresser. She turned back to face him, wishing there was a permanent marker nearby so she could draw on him. Kagura sat down beside his futon, merely inspecting his sleeping face. He seemed so much less...Sadist-like. His eyebrows were relaxed and his breathing was slow and deep. Was he really that sick? It was nothing but a cold, right? Before she knew it, she had reached out her fingers to touch his forehead.

A strong hand grasped onto her arm and managed to flip her onto her back.

"You really think I was stupid enough to let my guard dow-" Sougo chuckled, and then paused when he realized who it was. "Wait, China? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Let me go!" Kagura squirmed underneath him. "I was just returning your jacket, you jerk!"

"Oh." Sougo replied, immediately relinquishing his grip around her. "You could have done that without creeping around my room. I don't mind you having a little crush on me, but watching me while I sleep? That's creepy even for you, China."

"SHUT UP!" Kagura yelled loudly. "I was going to draw on your face and cut your hair so you'd be the laughing-stock of the Shinsengumi. Oh wait, you already are!" She grabbed a nearby slipper and chucked it at his head.

Sougo dodged it easily. His sharp maroon eyes narrowed before he replied. "Why don't you just be honest with yourself, China? You can't stop thinking about me, can you?" The corner of his mouth twitched upwards into a sly smirk. "After all, we did kiss."

At that point, Kagura unleashed a frightening scream and began to destroy various things in Sougo's bedroom. "I'LL FRICKING KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!" She lunged herself at him and they ended up in a violent wrestling match, surrounded by pillows, blankets and bedsheets.

"Sougo! What's wrong? We heard the China girl scream and-"

Kondo was greeted with the image of Sougo on top of Kagura, with a thick blanket covering the both of them. Of course, he took it the wrong way. "I-I'm so sorry, Sougo! I d-didn't realize that's what you guys were doing! Oh, man, how embarrassing! But I understand, sometimes young kids nowadays get those urges. Don't worry, I won't tell anybody!" Kondo laughed nervously.

"This is low, Sougo. Even for you." Hijikata stood behind Kondo, a disapproving look on his face.

Even Yamazaki peered around the corner, a look of extreme shock pasted on his face. At this point, most of the Shinsengumi had accumulated to witness the situation.

"N-no! It's not what it looks like! I swear!" Kagura yelled.

"It's exactly what it looks like." Sougo added. "The China girl threw herself at me. She obviously can't control her emotions." He explained, although he failed to mention the part where she threw herself at him with the intent to kill.

"HE'S LYING!" Kagura screamed. "He just- he makes these things up and lies all the time, he's always trying to trip m-me up, but-" She stammered, her lower lip jutting out into a slight pout. "Forget it! I just hate him!" Kagura ran out of his bedroom, trying to hide the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She wasn't the type to get upset over petty things like this, but that didn't explain the tears welling in the corners of her eyes.

"Oi, Sougo, you just made a young girl cry. You feel satisfied?" Hijikata took out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no…." Kondo mumbled to himself. "She's going to go crying straight to Otae-san, and Otae-san is going to come for my head…."

"I keep telling you to give up on her! How many things do you need to get beat up before realizing that?" Hijikata yelled at Kondo.

"But Toushi! I love her! You can't deny true love!"

"Kondo-san, you have a lot to learn about love…." Hijikata rolled his eyes before lighting his cigarette.

Sougo wasn't listening to any of their conversations. His eyes rested on his neatly folded black jacket on top of his dresser. Only one thought engulfed his mind: he had made China cry.

* * *

**Author's Note: **

Sougo is such a jerk! (✖╭╮✖) Hopefully he'll find a way to make it up to Kagura~


	4. Super Sadists are the worst!

Okita Sougo was not one for apologies. He never apologized to anyone other than his older sister. All the apologies he did give out were half-assed and sarcastic.

_'It's her fault anyways. She's always causing trouble for me.'_

_'You kept edging her on. You knew what would happen and you did it anyways.'_

_'Shut up. Whose side are you on?'_

_'Yours. Who else?'_

_'Great. You're talking to yourself now.'_

He carelessly threw away the melting grape Chuubert in his mouth onto the ground. With what had happened with China yesterday, he was in an even worse mood than usual.

"Um, s-sorry to interrupt you while you're nappin- working, but don't you think we should start patrol soon?" Yamazaki asked, a nervous expression on his face. Yamazaki was unlucky enough to be paired with him for the day.

"You can go do that by yourself. I'm going back to sleep." Sougo's deadpan voice had an underlying tone of bitterness. Despite his best efforts, he just couldn't relax. For all he knew, China probably complained to the rest of the Yorozuya already, and he wasn't in the mood to be lectured by the wavy-haired perm and glasses duo.

"Sougo, stop fooling around and do your job." Hijikata came around the corner with the usual cigarette in his mouth. "Or just go apologize to the Yorozuya girl. You can't act like this forever."

"Hijikata-san, are you blind? I'm obviously working. I'm protecting the headquarters from any possible intruders." Sougo pulled his mask over his eyes to quickly end the conversation.

"You're _obviously_ not! And don't ignore me when I'm talking to you!" Hijikata yelled as he reached for his sword.

"Hey, hey, no fighting now!" Kondo walked onto the scene with a frown pulling down on his lips. "Sougo, Toushi's right. It's unacceptable to make a young girl cry like that. You have to apologize, it's the right thing to do."

'_He just doesn't want Otae-san mad at him.' _Yamazaki thought, watching the quarrel occur from afar. How the hell did he end up working with such bizarre people?

"But Kondo-san, you don't understand-" Sougo started, taking off his eye mask.

"I don't want to hear it. This is an order, Sougo. I want you to go now." Kondo's voice was stern.

Yamazaki braced himself for the approaching backlash and sarcastic retorts from Sougo, but was surprised when there weren't any. Apparently, the only person who could control the super sadist of the Shinsengumi was Kondo Isao.

"Fine." Sougo replied, his voice as emotionless as ever. He got to his feet, shooting a deathly glare at Hijikata before walking past him. His day was not off to a good start, and he didn't want to ruin it any further with awkward confrontations with a girl he couldn't tolerate.

* * *

Author's Note :

So sorry this is so short & took so long! I was suffering from major writer's block but hopefully I'll be able to get the story running again! Thanks for reading!

(´･ω･`)


	5. I Can't Think Of A Chapter Name, Lay Off

Sougo had been pacing in front of the Yorozuya household for a good five minutes already. It was absolutely pathetic. He didn't hesitate in battle, so why the hell was he hesitating now?

Summing up what little dignity he had left, Sougo knocked on the door. There was no immediate response. "Danna, open up." He said loudly, knocking again. When there was still no response, Sougo let himself into the house without another thought. The interior was a bit messy, with wrappers of sukonbu and candy strewn across the floor.

Sougo's stomach wrenched nervously when he spotted China asleep on the couch. One of her legs dangled over the edge and the top of her red dress was slightly unclasped. As he approached her, he noticed a note taped to her umbrella laying beside her.

_'Went out to buy strawberry milk, I'm also going on a quest to look for the newest edition of Jump.'_

Well, it seemed like Danna wasn't here. Sougo turned his attention back to the alien on the couch. He had saved her life and this is how she repaid him? Sougo crouched down beside her, his eyes focusing on her sleeping face. Her face was relaxed and peaceful, which was the complete opposite of her usual expression whenever he saw her. Was she always so calm around people she actually liked? He highly doubted it. "You always cause me so much trouble, China." Sougo mumbled underneath his breath, wondering if it was too late to turn back now. "I don't exactly know what I'm sorry for, but I'm sorry. You happy now?"

There. He said it. It's not like she had to be awake to actually hear it; Kondo didn't specify. Sougo slowly got up and began to walk away, a look of slight defeat on his face. The only person who rivaled his stubbornness was China, and he had caved first. It was a blow to his pride.

"Stupid sadist..."

Sougo wheeled around so fast he almost lost balance. She was still asleep. He staggered back, having to grip the edge of the couch for support. If she had been awake, he would never be able to live down the humiliation... Then, the thought struck him. Was China dreaming about him? It seemed more likely that she was dreaming about killing him instead.

"I'll...frickin' kill you..."

Sougo stifled a small chuckle. "Guess I was right, China. But you know what? It'll be a hundred years before you're able to-"

A powerful fist sent him flying back several feet.

Sougo heard loud barking. He didn't even realize China's dog had been sleeping behind the couch.  
"What's with all the noise? I need my beauty sleep... Oi! Why is there a big hole in the wall? Sadaharu, Gin-chan's gonna be angry at us!" Kagura whined. She noticed a figure slumped against the wall once the dust had settled.

"Are you serious?" Sougo spat, tasting blood in his mouth. "You're a monster above all monsters."

"What the hell are you doing here, Sadist?!" Kagura yelled, lifting her umbrella and pointing it at him. "Why are you always stalking me?! Taking after the stupid gorilla, aren't you?"

"Oh, shut up." Sougo wiped the blood from the side of his mouth. "Kondo-san wanted me to apologize to you because you ran away the other day sobbing like a two year old."

"I wasn't crying! I just got something in both my eyes, okay?!"

"China, that was the worst lie I've ever heard. And you tell a lot of terrible lies." He slowly got up, wincing when the muscles in his back protested.

"Well, that's what you get for sneaking up on me," Kagura replied. "Stop bothering me all the time, can't you take a damn hint?"

"Your little Yorozuya family is usually the main source of trouble for the Shinsengumi. If I had a death note, you three would be long gone by now." Sougo muttered.

"Too bad I'm here for the long run!" Kagura fired a few warning shots near Sougo's feet. "Now, leave me alone before I call the police!"

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm a police officer." Sougo approached her, his hand resting on his sword. He would probably sport a few bruises and a sore back tonight. "If you really want me to leave you alone, I will. You won't have to see me ever again." Sougo said nonchalantly. The taunting tone in his voice had disappeared.

Kagura remained silent. He seemed serious, and things were already awkward enough. She hated him, but the thought of not seeing him made her uneasy, for whatever reason. "Hmph! Do what you want, I don't care." She huffed impatiently, hoping to diffuse the situation. She didn't want him actually mad at her. She also didn't want him to stay away, despite her words.

Sougo raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?" He slowly closed the distance between them.

"W-what do you think you're doing?" Kagura dropped her umbrella. He was close. Too close. Close enough that she could feel the warmth of his body through his clothes. She placed two hands on his chest and pushed, although not as hard as she would've liked.

Ignoring her half-hearted protest, he said, "Take from it what you will, China, but I like you. But I should probably leave soon before I get in trouble for the mess you made here."

"No! Don't leave, you can't just leave now." Kagura said suddenly, her face growing red in response to his confession. "I m-mean, what the hell? Do you think you can just show up uninvited and say a bunch of stupid things?" She took a step backwards. "You're just screwing with me again."

"I know you won't take my word for it, but I'm not. At least, not this time." Sougo shrugged. "It's hard to get through to a blockhead like you."

"Do you mean it? Do you really mean it?"

"Mean what? That I like you?"

"Don't say it out loud! It's disgusting!"

"Yeah, I do. Seeing as how you'll never admit how you feel, I thought I might take initiative."

"But I hate you!"

"You and I both know you really don't."

"I do, I swear! Every time I see your stupid face-"

It wasn't the first time they kissed. Then again, she had to be resuscitated the first time, and that didn't really count as one. He was surprisingly gentle and pulled away sooner than she would've liked. Her face felt as hot as Anego's burnt omelettes.

"I-I-I, w-why did you… but I d-didn't want t-to, so w-why," Kagura stammered, her bright blue eyes cautiously avoiding his gaze.

"You sound like a broken toy." Sougo commented. "Calm down, I won't do it again."

"Now w-what?" Kagura barked at him.

"It's simple. Be my girlfriend."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

This one was kinda rushed because I had a sudden urge to write at like 2am so I'M SORRY FOR THAT but i'll try to update more often now~

Also, make sure to review, I love reading your reactions/comments/criticism~ ⊙ω⊙


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